Over the past decade, Medicare has been improving its preventive medicine coverage. But many people enrolled in Medicare Part B don't realize that their coverage now includes regular preventive screenings, including mammograms and pelvic exams. If your mother is enrolled in Part B, she's entitled to coverage for a mammogram every year. She's also entitled to coverage for a pelvic exam, including a pap smear, every three years; if her doctor determines that she's at high risk of cervical or pelvic disease, she'll be covered for a pelvic exam every year. Part B pays for the mammogram or pelvic exam even if your mother has not yet met her yearly Part B deductible of $135.
